Imamacuser
Veteran
Does that create issue with green spill for you?
Is the COB 300D powerful enough to expose for windows in interview shot?
- Thread starter Lkorver
- Start date
morgan_moore
Major Contributor
I dont like greenscreen - but it would seem best to film the location exposed for outside and then have the subject on a greenscreen and stick them on top rather than screen the window panes.
When filming the BG one could gain a little realism by focussing on 4ft the distance of the, not there yet, subject not infinity.
Of course it would be precient to do both 4ft and infinity
Grug
Veteran
In my experience a 1.2k HMI is generally the minimum you can get away with to balance against a HOT window (and even then, you need it pretty close). For less extreme exposures outside the window, you can get away with less output - but it's always going to depend on what that difference in exposure is like, and how close you can get your key.
If you can frame up on a longer lens (like an 85mm) and get your diffusion in really close to the talent, then you'll have more leeway in the output you'll need to balance.
Also, if the window isn't directly behind the subject, graduated ND filters can help balance your exposure without having to go toe-to-toe with the sun.
If you can frame up on a longer lens (like an 85mm) and get your diffusion in really close to the talent, then you'll have more leeway in the output you'll need to balance.
Also, if the window isn't directly behind the subject, graduated ND filters can help balance your exposure without having to go toe-to-toe with the sun.
rob norton
Veteran
It depends if you're happy with the look! There's a definite mesh vibe to some of those backgrounds. But given some of the other tricks he details, I'm sure it was a case of absolutely nothing being the alternative.
In the behind the scenes, I think those makeshift autopoles are really helping in dialling in the tension. The ground is completely in shot but the location allows the material to go below ground with that step outside (plus a convenient way to jam those poles with tennis balls into the wood). So it obviously won't work for every occasion but at $5/metre then it's worth experimenting with.
But also, aren't we straight up seeing the actual mesh bunched up on the ground in the first interior that uses it? I know it's ultra low budget but the effect is drawing a little too much attention to itself IMO.
UPDATE: So the interview will be in a large conference room (17' x 30' see pics below) at high noon 
Client still wants to see the airstrip below, so I think I'm going to plan on ND gels for the windows and hiring a grip to help with that and giving him 3hrs before we roll to knock them out. If we can pull off not having our subject block any part of the windows, i'll first audition the double exposure suggestion, but with so many windows I think it might be tough.
The next question would be .9 or 1.2 for the gels? Weather says full sun for the shoot this coming Wednesday. Buy both rolls and return the one I don't end up using?
Client still wants to see the airstrip below, so I think I'm going to plan on ND gels for the windows and hiring a grip to help with that and giving him 3hrs before we roll to knock them out. If we can pull off not having our subject block any part of the windows, i'll first audition the double exposure suggestion, but with so many windows I think it might be tough. The next question would be .9 or 1.2 for the gels? Weather says full sun for the shoot this coming Wednesday. Buy both rolls and return the one I don't end up using?
morgan_moore
Major Contributor
Interesting. It is a pretty awesome view - I agree with the clients desire to see it
(and a horrid space)
(and a horrid space)
I think I'm going to heed the advice of many who warned of the perils of gelling that many windows. Hiring a grip and renting a 1.2k PAR. It's a single person interview, so in theory I should be able to fly the HMI plus diffusion frame overhead and fairly close to the subject, hoping that gets us enough pop.
patrickbaldwin
Well-known member
Is your interviewee going to be standing because if he is sitting I wonder what you will see of that view, maybe the trees in the distance. Your shot of the plane isn't going to be your viewpoint is it?
Great question. He will be sitting but we'll be getting him up high in a directors chair or stool to hopefully catch some of the runway. Won't be high enough to get that plane but as long as the runway is in play we're good.
puredrifting
Major Contributor
Keep in mind the squint factor. I have found that shining REALLY bright sources like HMIs on talent who isn't professional, even through a ton of diffusion, often makes then uncontrollably squint and blink like the light is frying their eyes. I experienced this last year when I rented an 8x8 diffusion just for low angle sunlight. I sat in where talent sat and it was a little bright but from the reaction from talent, you would have though we were trying to fry their eyeballs! Some people handle very bright sources well, but others just can't handle it and their squinting can spoil your shoot.
Good point, I'd hope that we could get the 4x4 and HMI high enough on more of a downward angle so talent isn't looking directly into the light, hopefully that helps a bit. He has blue eyes, which I think makes bright lights even more tricky.
The rooftop is available I'm told, 2 stories up and overlooks the entire space. I'd almost want to push for that. Going to be a 75F and full sun day though, not sure how the subject would do for a 90 min interview outside, even with a silk topper. Only one plane a day comes in and out of this airport, and I'm told we can shut off the HVAC, so in theory it would be quiet (and Covid safe).
ozmorphasis
Well-known member
Have someone from the site record 1 minute of audio on that roof (maybe even just the memo app on a phone) to get a sense of sound up there. I wouldn't trust any non-professional opinion on ambient sound.
I recently shot 2 weeks of outdoor doc material for a client, some of it at a campus in California and the rest on a lush 20 acre plot of land in Washington state. We had a ton of HVAC units and crap to deal with in the CA location and I was told over and over how much better it would be once we get up north because all of the land in sight belongs to the client with total control. When we got up there, it was indeed gorgeous and the bit of birds in the background were totally fine, but it turns out that after 20 years at this property the client never noticed that it is directly under a major flight path. There were planes at least every few minutes during the entire shoot. Once I pointed this out, they couldn't stop noticing it and kept saying "wow, all these years we never noticed the planes here and though we were so secluded from noise."
Anyway, long story just to say: Don't trust the audio situation without some reassurances about what you're getting.
rob norton
Veteran
lol ridiculous.
Once I was in a "studio space" literally under a flight path where the plane actually cast a shadow over the talent (briefly via the whirlybird vent). Pretty compelling evidence that the space was less than ideal!
DustinSchmidt
Well-known member
I shot a similar situation a couple of months back. We used an Aputure 300d II and an Aputure 120D II together for our key, both punched through a Matthews 6x6 Lite Silent Gridcloth. You can see where we ended up exposure-wise in the photos. 
Looks good! Full sun or hazy/cloudy?
In case anyone wanted to know how it worked out. Client ended up wanting to follow our advice and play up the conference room/gov vibe (subject is a former mayor). So we dropped the scrim shades down and lit the subject with an Area48 through a 4x4 1 1/4 silk with neg fill on the fill side.
DustinSchmidt
Well-known member
I can't quite remember exactly, but I think closer to full sun than cloudy. There's not too many clouds in the background there. And we're in Oklahoma, so no haze to speak of really.
DustinSchmidt
Well-known member
100% this ^^^^. I usually sit in the interview spot once I've finished lighting just to check and see how it feels. And even when I feel like there's no way it's bright enough to bother anyone, occasionally someone will sit and squint like crazy.